Outside pipe cutter



w. w. SMITH 2,462,230

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 OUTSIDE PIPE CUTTER Feb. 22, 1949.

Filed Jan. 27, 1947 Feb. 22, 1949. w. w. SMITH I OUTSIDE PIPE CUTTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 27, 1947 Feb. 22, 1949. w, w. SMITH I I OUTSIDE PIPE CUTTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 27 1947 Patented Feb. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OUTSIDE PIPE CUTTER.

William W. Smith, Houston, Tex. Application January 2'1, 1947, Serial No. 724.548

4 Claims. (c1.1s4 o.6)

This invention relates to: an outside pipe cutter.

An object of the invention is to provide a cutterofthe character described which is shaped to be lowered over a pipe stuck in a well bore and having cutters, or bits, adapted to be actuated into cutting relation with the stuck pipe tosever the same upon: rotation of. the tool.

It is another object of the. present invention to provide an outside pipe cutter equipped with jaws engageable with the pipe to be cut and which is also equipped with means for applying a. constantly increasing. pressure to the cutters as the cutting. process progresses.

The invention also includes means for withdrawing the severed section from the well.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from: the following specification which is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper end of the cutter shown partly in section and in inactive position.

Figure 2 isa sideview, partly in section, of the lower end of the cutter showing the parts in inactive position. I

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the upper end of the tool shown in cutting position.

Figure 4- is a side view, partly in section, of

p the lower end of the tool shown in cutting position.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary; vertical, sectional viewtaken'on the line 55 of Figure 8.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6'--5 of Figure 1.

Figure '7is a cross-sectional view taken on the line T 'l of 'Figure 1'; and

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the lineB-Bof'Figure 2. v

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of" reference designate the same parts in eachof the figures, the numeral l-designates a tubular cutter'body' whose lower end may be inwardly thickened, as shown in Figures 2, 5 and 8, and above said inwardly thickened portion is provided with the Vertically elongated slots zinwhicharelocated the cutters 3. These cutters are pivoted, at their lower ends,

on the cross pins 4 whose ends are suitably anchored in the body. The upper ends of tlie. cuttors terminate in the cutting bits 5.

It will be noted from an inspection of Figure 2 that the cutters are slightly longer than the corresponding slots 2 and their upper ends are-limited in their outward movement by engagement 3. stand vertically when inv inactive position, as

indicatedin Figure 2,.being maintained in that position by the springs 3a.

In. the presentillustration three of said cute ters'are shown although a greateror less number,

racewayringsfland m'witha series of ball bearings'lfla, between them. 7

Within the body there is a tubular stem H whose: upper end is formed.- with an elongated outwardly thickened head l2 having an inside downwardly (facing shoulder I3 which is, supported onsaid' bearing assembly and said stem is secured to thelower raceway ring 1'0 by means of' oneor more pins-l4 so asto hold said stem against rotation. The lower raceway ring- In is suitably: secured within the coupling 6 so that said raceway ring IU- will not'rotate'.

Thelowerend of the stem ll isprovided with external" coarse right hand threads l5 and screwed onto said coarse threads l5 there is a tubular, cutter actuator l6 whose upper end is extended above said threads and fits closely around the lower end of the stem and whose lower end has the downwardly and outwardly flared face I! which is located above the cutters when the tool is in inactive position.

The cutter actuator has one or more external longitudinal splines, or keys, I'8- which are located in relatively short inside keyways IS in the cutter body whereby'the cutter actuator will rotate'with the body but may be moved longi tudinally relative toit;

Threaded onto the. stem ll, by right hand threads, there is a sleeve 20 which is provided with external longitudinal grooves 2| to receive the corresponding internal. longitudinal splines 22 in the body l whereby the sleeve 20' will'be caused to rotate with the body. Beneath the external threads connecting the sleeve to the stem, the stem is externally reduced in diameter. v Surrounding said stem and interposed between the lower end of the sleeve 20 andtheupper' end of the cutter actuator Hi there is a. strong coil compression spring-'23 which surrounds said stem cross pins 28 which extend through their lower ends and the ends of these cross pins are anchored in the head l2.

The tool may be assembled as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and lowered into the well over the stuck pipe which is indicated by the numeral 21. While being lowered the jaws 25, in passing a coupling, may swing outwardly into the corresponding slots 24. When a point is reached where it is desired to make the cut an upward pull may be taken on the operating string I and the jaws 25 will engage with the coupling above of the pipe 21. With a tension on the operating string it is then turned to the right and the cutter body will also be turned with it and the jaws 25, in engagement with the coupling of the pipe 21, will hold the stem H against turning. The cutter actuator [6 will be rotated with the body I and will be screwed ofi of the lower end of the stem l I, in practice it usually requiring about four rotations to disengage the actuator from said stem. The actuator l6 will'then move downwardly, the flared face I! causing it to engage behind the cutters 3 and said cutters will be forced inwardly against the pipe 21, A continuous rotation of the oper-' ating string and body in the same direction will cause the sleeve 20 to move downwardly operatin against the upper end of the spring 23 and gradually applying compression to said spring which will be transmitted to the actuator and to the cutters 3 with gradually increasing intensity thus forcing the bits 5 yieldingly against the inside pipe 21 and causing them to penetrate into said pipe until it is severed, as indicated in Figure 4.

When a section of the stuck pipe has been thus severed the operating string Tmay be pulled upwardly elevating the tool and the tool and severed section may then be withdrawn, together with the severed sections from the well.

The drawings and description are illustrative merely whilethe broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An outside pipe cutter comprising, a rotatable body shaped to telescope over a pipe stuck in a well bore, a cutter mounted in the body to rotate on a horizontal axis, a tubular stem mounted in the body, pipe engaging means on the stem engageable with the stuck pipe to hold the stem against rotation as the body rotates, a cutter actuator having a splined connection with the body and a threaded connection with the stem and releasable from the stem upon rotation of the body, said actuator being arranged to engage the cutter and rotate it inwardly into engagement with said pipe upon release and downward movement of the actuator, a sleeve threaded onto the stem and having a splined connection with the body, a compression spring between the sleeve and actuator effective to apply yielding pressure to the actuator and cutter as the sleeve is screwed downwardly on the stem.

2. An outside pipe cutter comprising, a tubular shaped body adapted to telescope over a pipe in a well bore, cutters mounted in the body to rotate on horizontal axes, a tubular stem mounted in the body and rotatable with respect to the body, a plurality of pipe engaging jaws in the stem engageable with the stuck pipe to hold the stem against rotation, a cutter actuator in the body and having a threaded connection with the stem, operative connection between the body and actuator whereby the actuator is rotated with'the body to unscrew the actuator from the stem, said actuator being arranged to engage, the cutters and rotate them inwardly into engagement with the pipe upon release and downward movement of the actuator, a sleeve threaded onto the stem, operative connections between the body and a sleeve whereby the sleeve is screwed downwardly on the stem upon rotation of the body, and a yieldable member between the sleeve and actuator arranged to be placed under compression by the sleeve as the sleeve moves downwardly to apply pressure to the actuator and cutters to hold the cutters in yielding contact with the pipe.

3. An outside pipe cutter comprising, a tubular body adapted to telescope over a pipe in a well bore, a cutter mounted in the body to rotate on a horizontal axis, a tubular stem mounted in the body, pipe engaging means on the stem engageable with the stuck pipe-to hold the stem against rotation as the body is rotated, a cutter actuator releasably connected to the stem, operative connections between the body and actuator effective to release the actuator from the stem upon rotation of the body relative to the stem, a yieldable member in the body operable against the actuator to force the actuator downwardly, upon release of the actuator, said actuator being shaped to engagethe cutter, upon downward movement of the actuator, to iorce the cutter inwardly into cutting relation with said pipe, means operatively connected with the stem and with the body and movable downwardly on the stem as the body is 2'0- tated and operable against the yieldable member to place the same under compression to apply pressure to the actuator and the cutter to hold the cutter in cutting relation with the pipe under gradually increasing pressure.

4. An outside pipe cutter comprising, a body adapted to telescope a pipe in a well bore, a tubular stem in the body and rotatably mounted relative thereto, pipe engaging jaws carried by the stem and engageable with the pipe to hold the stem against rotation, upon rotation of the body, a pipe cutter mounted in the body, an actuator connected to the stem and adapted to be released therefrom uponirotation of the actuator, operative connections between the actuator and body whereby the actuator will be rotated, and released, upon rotation of the body, the lower end of the actuator being shaped to engage the cutter and force it inwardly into cutting relation with the pipe, upon downward movement of the actuator, a yieldable element arranged to operate against the upper end of the actuator and means operatively connected with the stem and body and arranged to apply a compressive force to said element upon rotation of the body relative to the stem.

- WILLIAM W. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

